Carrots didn’t help you see in the dark and eating the crusts never made your hair curl. So, why when it comes to pregnancy— in the age of Google — are we still falling for these myths our mother tells us around whether it’s going to be a girl or a boy? To her credit, in this game there is a 50 per cent chance she’ll be proven right. So, it’s no wonder half of us buy into these old wives’ tales! Let’s take a look at the ones we’re most skeptical about.
Girls steal your beauty
Experiencing pregnancy acne? Maybe your skin was looking a little puffy this morning… That’s a girl. Forget the hormonal changes your body is most certainly going through, it’s a sure sign your girl is draining your beauty reserves.
Verdict: Utter rubbish!
Larger left breast? It’s a boy
If the left one swells bigger, you’ll have a boy. If the right one is heftier, it’s a girl. If they’re both significantly larger, it’s probably a girl. Fetch us the tape measure!
Verdict: Myth. Swelling breasts only further confirm our suspicions that a baby is on the way.
Crankiness for girls
The crankier you are, the more likely you’re expecting a girl. But how do you even measure levels of moodiness? Forget the old wives, we suspect this one was made up by a man…
Verdict: Expect to feel gloomy at points but science says expecting a boy can also make you feel blue.
Salt cravings for boys
Sweets, ice cream and chocolate mean a baby girl is on the way, while if it’s all salty snacks on your shopping list, you’re expecting a boy.
Verdict: It’s up there with girls being made of ‘sugar and spice and all things nice…’ and we’re yet to be convinced on this one.
Morning sickness for a girl
It’s starting to feel like having a girl has you saddled with the least favourable symptoms, right?
Verdict: The jury’s still out on this one. Morning sickness is so common that there would be far more women in the world than men by now — and that’s just not the case. However, hyperemesis gravidarum (the worst kind of morning sickness) has been show to be more prevalent in women carrying girls. Hmm… we might give you that one.
A long linea negra for a boy
If the dark line on your stomach reaches past your belly button up to your rib cage, you’ll have a boy on the way. Line stops at the belly button? It’s probably a girl.
Verdict: Looking at someone’s stomach can’t tell you the gender, let’s just not pretend it can.
